ER doc offers July 4th safety tips

CATHY BAYER

Saturday

Jun 30, 2007 at 12:01 AMJun 30, 2007 at 11:15 PM

Some tips to have a safe Fourth of July

Dr. A.J. Cummings, ER doctor at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, offered some safety tips so he doesn’t have to see you at the hospital during the Independence Day holiday. Also, in addition to fireworks, area fireworks tents are offering safety tip handouts with every purchase. They include tips on the safe way to handle fireworks, as well as how to treat a burn. They are:

Don’t let kids light fireworks and keep children out of fireworks’ range.

Don’t try to experiment, creating what Cummings calls an "injurious cocktail" — sticking several fireworks together and lighting them all at once.

If a firework is a "dud," leave it alone and pour water on it just to be sure.

Keep a bucket of water on hand — it’ll serve several purposes. Once finished, sparklers can be put in the water to avoid injury from their heat or sharp wire. Also, if someone’s clothes catch fire, the water is readily accessible.